


Dragon Warrior

by demonofabove



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Crushes, Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Sakumo Lives, tenzou has a family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-02-22 23:04:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23001838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonofabove/pseuds/demonofabove
Summary: Dragons are thought to have been extinct for centuries; but Iruka knows that's not true. However, in his travels, he's learnt that they are going missing. Is someone going after their power, or is there another cause for their disappearance?And why is Lord Hatake so eager to join him on his quest to find the answer? Iruka has a feeling it's not just because of the dragon egg they found...
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 19
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based off a very detailed dream I had a while back. When I woke up, I still remembered all the details & wrote them down; and now I'm turning the dream into a reality! (kind of!)
> 
> Enjoy!

Kakashi was eager to get home. He had been away on business, visiting the smaller villages in his land to personally make sure there were no problems, and resolve issues if there were any; and even though it had only been a week, he was drained, and ready to return to Konoha and sleep in his own bed.

Looking out the window of his carriage, the bushland alongside the road felt very familiar; and he guessed that he was almost along the outskirts of the village. He sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes as the wheels bumped along the gravel. Then just as he was about to doze off, the carriage slowed to a stop; and he sat up again, slightly confused. They can't have reached the village yet.

"What happened? Why did we stop?" he called out to the driver.

"It seems there has been an accident up ahead, my lord. A wheel has fallen from someone's cart."

"Oh. Is someone fixing it? Do they need help?"

"I can't tell from here; but one of the guards are investigating. Please just rest for now, my lord."

Kakashi stared out into the trees again while he waited - he wasn't tired now that they'd stopped. As he studied the scenery, he caught a glimpse of movement, of something large moving along the shadows; and he sat up straighter, peering more carefully into the woods. A little further along he caught glimpse of something bright - a glint amongst some shrubs; and he whistled, imitating a gentle songbird's cry, signalling to his guards to stay alert. If he was right, then they were caught in an ambush.

After his signal, everything seemed to silence - not even the trees swayed to the wind; and a tense atmosphere started to build. Then suddenly a branch snapped, and there was a flurry of activity from all around - voices, footsteps, and the metallic tang of weapons being drawn; and the attack began.

"Bandits! They've got us surrounded!" a guard cried out.

The sound of battle filled the air - grunts, thumps, and clangs surrounded the carriage; and Kakashi felt his chest boil with adrenaline and his limbs itching to move. He wanted to be out there, too, and help take down the bandits. He hated that he had to be protected all the time, that he couldn't assist when he was just as capable, if not better than his guards at fighting; but as frustrated as he was, he had learnt long ago how necessary it was that he stay put. If his power went out of control again…

"Someone else just appeared! We're outnumbered!" a guard shouted.

"Wait! The one that appeared - he's… He's helping us fight them off! Don't kill the traveller!"

Kakashi looked out the window of his carriage, intrigued by the shouts of his men, wondering what kind of traveller was brave enough to face bandits; and laid eyes on a graceful figure in red and black fending them off with ease. The way he swung his sword was so beautiful, precise, and powerful; and Kakashi was mesmerised by his movements.

Suddenly, a bandit snuck up from behind, club raised, and swung horizontally, aiming to hit the back of the traveller's head; and Kakashi called out to him in alarm. He heard just in time, and ducked and rolled out of the way; and the bandit hit one of the people he was working with instead. In the couple of seconds the traveller had gained, he turned to Kakashi; and when they made eye contact, he grinned, sharing a look that said he had everything under control; and Kakashi's heart began to flutter wildly. That man had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

Kakashi couldn't take his eyes off him after that - he could have watched him all day; but before he knew it, the battle had ended and all the bandits were defeated. As soon as that had been confirmed, Kakashi practically leapt out of the carriage, eager to leave it and properly assess the scene.

Most of the bandits had been knocked unconscious, besides one that was dead; and all of his guards were alive, though not without injury. The traveller, however, seemed perfectly fine - there didn't seem to be a single scratch on him. _Interesting…_ , he smiled to himself as he walked over to him.

"Thank you for your assistance. What's your name, traveller?"

"I'm Iruka. Er…" a blush rose on his tan cheeks, and he scratched at a scar that ran across his nose.

"You can call me… Kakashi." he smiled beneath a cloth hiding his face, giving Iruka a lingering onceover.

"Eh?! He should address you properly!" a man in a forest green and silver kimono exclaimed in alarm, as he scrambled out of the carriage to join him.

"It's fine, Tenzou. I don't like the formalities, anyway…"

"But you are Lord of the Leaf! The formalities are a sign of respect!"

"You're Lord Hatake?" Iruka asked, interrupting their debate. The way they were arguing, he got the impression this was something they bickered about often.

"Yes. But please, call me Kakashi."

Iruka took in his attire - a traditional silk kimono coloured sky blue with intricate silver patterns almost the same shade as his hair; and embroidered over his heart was the Hatake clan symbol, etched in black. His left eye was covered by a black eye patch with a scar peeping out below; and he wore a dark cloth over the lower half of his face.

As he took in his features, Iruka caught sight of a contrasting blue in his peripheral vision, and his eyes widened in surprise when his gaze shifted to an azure tattoo creeping up Kakashi's neck; and he suddenly turned serious, and fell silent. There was some truth to the rumours about Kakashi, after all.

"Is there something on your mind?" Kakashi asked, noticing his sudden change in expression.

"Nothing at all. I have heard of your greatness in my travels, and I am honoured to meet you." he bowed.

"Maa, you don't need to be so formal." Kakashi put a hand on Iruka's shoulder. "Please."

Iruka gazed into his eyes, blushing at the warmth and care in his expression; and he slowly rose.

"How can I thank you for your help today?" Kakashi asked.

"If it's not a bother, I'd like to have a look at a detailed map of the area. I'm travelling beyond the Great Stone Faces, and I'm not familiar with the terrain."

"Oh? What business do you have there?" Kakashi asked with interest.

"I…" Iruka hesitated. "Rumour has brought me here; and I need to investigate the Dragon Ruins."

"Hn? What kind of rumours?" Kakashi asked with a slight frown. "If you have come seeking treasure, there is nothing to find."

"I'm not after treasure. Rumour has it the, ah…" he glanced around at the people nearby with a calculating expression, " _heart_ of the ruins is being targeted; and I need to find it."

"The heart, huh..." Kakashi mused, eventually figuring out what Iruka meant as his gaze lingered on his tattoo. It was a mark that most people couldn't see, so the fact that Iruka was looking at it and knew that it was there felt like a secret message in itself; and it only intrigued him more. "And what are you going to do after you find it?"

"I'm going to find a way to protect it." Iruka answered adamantly. "Others have been targeted throughout the land too, and other Capitals have had theirs going missing; and I want to get to this one before it's too late, and figure out what's going on."

"Hmn… Okay, then." Kakashi considered seriously. "Meet me by the base of the Great Stone Heads at sunrise tomorrow, and I will escort you to the Dragon Ruins, myself."

"Lord Hatake, I am honoured," Iruka bowed, "but you really don't need to. I just need to look at a map and I will be able to find them."

"I have no doubt that you could find your way." Kakashi smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But I'm curious, too. I would like to come along, and have a proper discussion about the… heart of the matter."

He had no idea where Iruka got his information from, but it was true that the dragon of the ruins was in danger - he had felt the disturbance in her aura himself, coming through the power she had given him years ago; and he had to find out as much as he could. It was _his_ turn to protect _her._

"Tomorrow it is, then. Lord Hatake -"

"Kakashi. Please." he interrupted.

"I am grateful to have met you today… Kakashi." Iruka flushed. "I would like to stay and chat, but I have a few errands to run before the sun sets; so if you don't mind, I need to be on my way."

"Of course. Once again, thank you for your assistance, Iruka."

Iruka gazed into Kakashi's eyes, somewhat hesitant and contemplative; and Kakashi wondered what he was thinking about.

"You look worried. Are you sure you don't have anything on your mind?"

"Oh, it's nothing!" Iruka blushed, scratching his scar. "But thank you."

He bowed and said his farewells; and Kakashi watched him walk off alone, sharp and dignified like he was on a mission, but also loose and carefree. Kakashi was envious. He wanted that - to be able to travel wherever he wanted, to not be constrained to formalities, to experience what the average person did; and part of him wanted to race over to Iruka and walk to the village with him instead.

"What was that all about?" Tenzou asked in confusion.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Kakashi replied, his eyes still on the horizon. 

"You know... You seem awfully interested in Iruka."

"Do I?"

"Yep. I think you _like_ him." Tenzou teased.

"Shut up. I do not." Kakashi blatantly denied, fighting back a blush.

"Heh. We may not be related by blood, Brother; but I can still tell when you're lying." Tenzou chuckled.

"Whatever." he mumbled. "Let's go home."


	2. Chapter 2

Iruka decided he liked Konoha. It was lively, even at the crack of dawn; and everyone he had run into was friendly and really easy to talk to. It was a village of peace - a sight he didn't always see in his travels; and although he could tell that some people were wealthier than others, like anywhere else he went, those who were poor seemed to be taken care of - nobody seemed to be suffering. Iruka could see that Lord Hatake, no, _Kakashi_ , was a considerate ruler who put his people first; and he admired that. But Kakashi also intrigued him. From the stories he had heard, Iruka had expected him to be aloof and distant; but he had seemed particularly interested in him during their encounter.

Iruka suddenly felt a warm hand on his shoulder; and he jumped, and almost yelped in surprise. He hadn't sensed anyone approaching, and there hadn't been anyone else by the Great Stone Faces; so it was like they appeared out of nowhere. Turning around, he came face to face with Kakashi, who held a content expression; and his face quickly reddened. He was embarrassed to have been startled so easily in front of him.

"H-How long have you been here?" he asked, taking in Kakashi's outfit as he tried to settle his breathing.

Kakashi wasn't as dressed up as the day before. This time he was in brown long pants, a tight-fitting navy blue undershirt that covered his arms, and a sky blue and silver tunic sitting comfortably over the top, with the Hatake clan symbol embroidered the same as his kimono. Matching the colour of his boots was a thick, dark brown belt fitted snugly around his waist; and holstered onto it was a travel pouch and a small money bag. Iruka looked up from his attire and saw that his face was covered again with the same eyepatch, and a mask that extended from his undershirt; and peeking out behind his head was a sword that was strapped to his back.

"I only just arrived. Have you been here long?" Kakashi asked.

"Not very. You're not that late."

"I'm late?" he asked, looking down, a little disheartened. He was normally late to things, and it didn't usually bother him; but this time he had actually wanted to be on time - he was looking forward to his day out with Iruka, away from his ordinary duties; and he was a little disappointed in himself.

"It's not a problem." Iruka said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Really."

"I guess so." Kakashi said, drawing his attention to Iruka after the unexpected contact. "Shall we get going?"

"Sure, but…" Iruka looked around. "Where are your guards?"

"They're not coming today. We can speak more freely with no one else is around."

"Right."

With no more reason to wait, they set off on their journey; and Kakashi led Iruka along a path that took them to the top of the cliff face, and then to the road beyond. To begin with, the area around them was open and rocky, with the occasional spurt of dry grass through cracked limestone; but as they trekked downhill, towards and through the canyon, more shrubs and trees began to appear.

In the mountainous rocky cliff walls that surrounded them, there were all sorts of nooks and crannies - plenty of places for people, and animals alike to seek shelter; and Iruka studied the scenery more carefully. This was the perfect area for a dragon to live.

Suddenly, Kakashi went off-trail and guided Iruka to a gash in a nearby sandstone wall; and when he stepped inside, Iruka cautiously did the same, barely scraping through. A gentle breeze brushed against him, and he looked around in interest. They were in a small cavern, cool and shady, with a splash of light from the sun peeking in through a gap up above; and there was a small spring of crystal clear water rippling nearby.

"We haven't reached the ruins yet, but this is the last place we can get fresh water from. Let's take a break." Kakashi said, slumping comfortably in between a group of large stones that almost took the shape of a picnic bench.

Iruka nodded, and joined him on the strange bench-shaped rocks. He wasn't tired and didn't really need a break, but it was about lunch time, and he had been getting hungry; so he pulled out a cloth package from his travel pouch. He unravelled it, revealing several balls of onigiri; and offered one to Kakashi, who looked like he had intended to ignore his hunger.

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise at Iruka's gesture, and he gently took one of the balls, thanking him; and then pulled his mask down to eat. As he nibbled on the onigiri, he suddenly felt Iruka watching him; and when he turned to him and they made eye contact, Iruka blushed and immediately averted his gaze. 

"Sorry, Kakashi. I didn't mean to stare." he apologised. "My curiosity got the better of me."

"You can look this time, since it's just the two of us." Kakashi said. "As long as you keep it a secret."

"O-Of course."

Iruka took a better look at him, now that he had permission; and he found himself drawn to Kakashi's features. He had a handsome face; and although his eyes held plenty of expression on their own, seeing the rest of his face made him so much easier to read. Iruka's eyes wandered, drifting from Kakashi's, across to the scar peeking below his eyepatch, down to his lips; and then he caught bright blue in his peripheral vision, and was studying the tattoo peeking out from the edge of his mask, spiralling behind his ear.

"You're the first person I've come across in years that can see this." Kakashi said, gently touching his dyed skin.

Only people who had been given power from a dragon, who had a tattoo themselves, could see other people's marks; and after an incident ten years before that made Kakashi leave the world of dragons and settle into his role as Lord, he thought he would never see someone like him ever again.

"Were you surprised when you realised?"

"Mainly curious… I get the impression you are very involved in the world of dragons, even though most people think they're gone now."

"You're very perceptive. Dragons have always been a part of my life; and knowing that they're still around, I just can't live a normal life pretending they aren't."

"So what do you do, then?" Kakashi asked with interest. "You're not just a traveller, are you?"

"No, I'm not… But I can't really disclose my job." Iruka said hesitantly. "Let's just say I'm on a quest."

Kakashi fell silent for a moment. He wasn't satisfied with Iruka's answer, but he wouldn't pry. Iruka seemed like an honest, open man; so there had to be a reason he wouldn't share his job title.

"Let me ask you one more thing, while it's on my mind."

"Go ahead."

"Regarding what you said yesterday... The dragon that lives here; how much danger is she in?"

"I'm sure you already know the answer to that, if you've been sensing her aura."

"Hmn." Kakashi frowned. "We should refill our water and get going, then. We can't waste any more time."

Iruka agreed, and they left soon after; but although they were hurrying, he didn't think they were going to make it to the ruins in time.

It already felt like the dragon that resided there was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Kakashi was getting worried. He and Iruka were approaching the Dragon Ruins, and something didn't seem right. He couldn't explain why, but it felt quiet. Too quiet; like something was missing. Wherever he looked, nothing seemed to be out of place, and he didn't sense that he and Iruka were being watched; but he couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed; and it only made him more anxious.

He pushed his way through the exit of a narrow ravine, Iruka following closely behind; and when he stepped out into the open, icy air slithered through his clothes and bit at his skin. He was a little chilly, as he knew he would be near the entrance of the ruins; but not cold enough to need another layer. And looking at Iruka's outfit, Kakashi imagined he wouldn't be that cold, either.

He was wearing long black pants, and a long-sleeved blood red tunic with gold patterned trimming; and over the top was a leather armour set, consisting of a full chest plate with shoulder guards, a plate skirt attachment that flapped out from the base of the chest plate, and arm guards protecting his forearms. Iruka looked like some kind of warrior - experienced, too, judging by the way he fought the previous day; but there were no symbols or crests on his clothes, and no real hints to indicate where he's from or what kind of training he had done; and Kakashi was very much intrigued by the mystery. Who was Iruka, and what was his story?

"Kakashi, do we have much further to go?" he asked with a sudden air of seriousness.

"No, it's just up ahead. That rock we're approaching is part of a crushed statue; and the entrance to the ruins is just beyond that. Why do you ask?"

"Just... We should be careful. Can you sense the dragon?"

Kakashi stopped in his tracks, and his eyes widened in realisation. This was it - this was the reason everything felt off. The dragon's presence should have been very obvious and overpowering by now; but her energy was barely there, like she had left her nest and he was only sensing the trailing remains. But had she left on her own, or was she taken? Kakashi's stomach twisted and churned as he turned to Iruka.

"No. She's… not there."

"Thought so..." Iruka frowned. "But the ruins aren't empty."

"Hn? What do you mean?"

"I can't explain it. It's like I'm sensing a dragon, but its aura is muffled."

"I can't feel anything like that - just traces of the dragon that should be living here."

"Well, we're not going to learn anything standing around here, so let's investigate."

Iruka continued forward, and Kakashi slowly followed, his gaze stuck on Iruka's back. He'd never met anyone with stronger senses than him before, and it was a little disconcerting. It made him think that Iruka was a lot more powerful than he let on.

When they reached the ruins, Iruka stopped, and looked around. The building had a temple-like structure, made of stone; and the wall was carved with intricate drawings and ancient script, almost hidden by overgrown vines. Above the entrance was four giant marks slashed into stone, clearly carved by a dragon claw; and as he looked around at the rubble consisting of destroyed wall, pillars, and statues, and how some chunks were scorched to coal, Iruka saw the story that the remains told.

There had once been a battle here, of people against a dragon. Worshippers had come to the temple to pray, but found a dragon had taken residence there instead; and because this was the place they held sacred, a place they needed to visit often, they wanted to drive the dragon out… But considering it was never rebuilt and the area remained deserted, it was clear who won that battle.

And that made Iruka more concerned about the matter at hand. Dragons were creatures that liked to settle - once they found a place to call home, they wouldn't live anywhere else; so the fact that this dragon left a home she literally fought to have, meant that something had clearly happened, that it wasn't safe anymore. He hoped to find some answers by entering her nest; but with the other presence he was sensing, it could be risky. If it really was another dragon; and it was aggravated or got angry at them trespassing… Iruka grabbed his sword, and glanced at Kakashi, who shot him a questioning look.

"Just in case." he said. "You should prepare yourself, too."

Kakashi nodded and followed Iruka in, eyes wandering as he searched cautiously for movement and other signs that there were enemies nearby. It was pitch black inside, but even as he adjusted to the darkness, he didn't spot any danger. Even so, he remained alert.

From what he could see, they were in a small, open space with a slightly raised centre marked at each corner by carved pillars; and the floor along the back walls was piled with crumbled stone carvings and broken chunks of statue where the inside had given way, or, more than likely, been knocked off by the dragon living there - one quick swish of her tail would have been enough to do it.

Kakashi was distracted by a dim glow suddenly illuminating the old temple; and he turned around to find that it was coming from Iruka's sword, which was giving off a pale yellow light along the blade. He was impressed. Usually when someone focused dragon power on a weapon, it was to strengthen it; but with no enemies around, it looked like Iruka was using the technique to use his sword as a torch. Iruka noticed him staring, and smiled sheepishly.

"It's not much, but it'll help us find what we're looking for."

"Although…" he continued with a slight frown, "I can't tell where the energy I'm sensing is coming from - it's all muddled, like there's something interfering with the signal."

"Interference, huh…" Kakashi mused.

There were no signs of battle inside, which told Kakashi that the dragon that lived here left on her own, and wasn't forced out or captured. But that only made it even stranger that some of her spiritual energy was left behind - Kakashi knew she was intelligent, and would know how to leave without a trace; so he wondered if it was there on purpose. If that was the case, then it had to be because she had to be protecting something. But what kind of treasure did she have that was important enough to be protected; and why couldn't she take it with her?

As Kakashi explored the ruins, he suddenly noticed that his tattoo had become warmer than the rest of his skin, and was pulsing, like it was reacting to and syncing with the traces of energy scattered around. It was like the energy was pulling him in, trying to lead him somewhere, like the dragon who lived here had left him some kind of message; and he instinctively followed, wondering what he would discover.

He walked to the corner of the room, towards a pile of rock and debris hidden in the shadows, almost blended into the wall; and he started to feel the sensation Iruka had described earlier, of a muffled dragon's aura. He didn't feel the distortion, though - he knew exactly where it was coming from; so the interference had to be some sort of illusion barrier that was cast by the dragon before she disappeared. That meant that whatever she hid was only meant for _him_ to find. He looked over at Iruka, who seemed distracted and was studying everything in wonder, his thoughts written over his face so innocently; and Kakashi smiled to himself. Although whatever was being protected here was clearly a secret, his instincts were saying it was okay for Iruka to know, too; so he called him over. 

"Help me move these rocks. We're about to find out what it is you've been sensing."

"Really? Are you sure it's here?" he asked curiously, hurrying over.

"Definitely."

They started quickly moving the debris away, working together with the heavier chunks, and easily shifting the smaller pieces aside alone; and as the pile thinned, Kakashi noticed a hole at the bottom of the wall peeping through behind it, as well as a faint glow inside. Iruka saw it too; and they cleared the rubble even faster, motivated by their curiosity to find out what was there. And when there was finally nothing in the way, they crouched, side by side, peering inside the child-sized hole; and for a while, all they could do was stare in shock as they processed what they saw.

"Iruka, this is…" Kakashi trailed off.

"A dragon egg..." he replied in awe.

"What are we going to do?"


	4. Chapter 4

Iruka couldn't believe what he was seeing. Dragons had been in hiding for so long that most people thought they were extinct, and even being involved in the world of dragons, coming across one was rare; so he never thought in a million years he would see one's egg. And seeing one for the first time, he was mesmerised - it was beautiful.

The egg was predominately sea green, and shone like silk against the light projected off Iruka's blade; and it had a thick, scaled texture, almost like snake skin. Swirling in its centre was a light green glow that seemed to pulsate, almost like it was alive, as though it was the core of the dragon's being; and being up close to it, Iruka could finally feel its soft, gentle aura properly. 

As stunning as the egg was, though, seeing it there was a strange sight. Usually animals that laid eggs would keep them in their nest to watch over them and keep them warm. And sure, the egg _was_ in a nest, lying in a pile of dying long grass, softened with fluffs of cotton collected from a small patch of plants growing just outside the entrance of the ruins; but it was inside a _wall_ , and clearly not big enough for a dragon to lie against.

Looking at the nest more carefully, Iruka noticed it was messy, like it had hastily been thrown together, and that the plant matter looked fresh, like the bedding was recently made; and that told him that the mother had definitely known something was going to happen, and that she only had limited time to make this for her young. It wasn't clear why she abandoned her egg, though. Did she think it would be too dangerous, wherever she was going? Or... Iruka's heart clenched. Was it a parent's sacrifice? Did she offer herself as a target, instead, to lure the threat away?

"What are you thinking?" Kakashi asked, noticing Iruka's darkened expression.

"Just… This mother clearly wanted to protect her young…" Iruka mused. "I know of a dragon that lives near the Earth capital. If I take the egg to her, she will keep it safe."

"I don't know about that; you just told me yesterday that dragons are being targeted everywhere, and you don't seem to know what from. How can this unborn dragon's safety be guaranteed? And what if we go all that way just to find that the dragon you mentioned has disappeared, like the one here?"

"Well, even if they are being targeted, giving the egg to another dragon is the best thing to do in this situation, don't you think? Seeing as one would know better than either of us on the conditions needed for the egg to hatch, and how to look after it in the meantime."

"That may be so, but what about my other question you didn't answer? What if we get there and the dragon is already gone? It wouldn't be easy to find another one."

"Don't you worry about that. The dragon will definitely be there. And even if she isn't, I know of several locations to find another one." Iruka answered. "Keeping this unborn dragon safe is a top priority; and I'm not going to let its mother's efforts to protect it go to waste. I'm not going to let evil win."

"Hmn, okay. I will put my trust in you." Kakashi said. "Let's bring the egg back to the village for now. It will be safe with me overnight; and tomorrow morning we can meet at the gates, and leave for the Land of Earth."

"You have misunderstood, Kakashi." Iruka said hesitantly. "We won't be travelling together. Your duties are here, with your people."

"What? No! You're not leaving me behind!" he protested. "My brother already knows what to do when I'm not around. The village will be fine without me."

"I said no, Kakashi." Iruka warned, placing his hands on his hips.

"I have to. The mother of that unborn dragon is the one who gave me this!" Kakashi argued, pointing to his covered neck, where his spiralling tattoo was. "She left her egg for _me_ to find; she trusted _me_ to keep it safe. I have to come, Iruka. She saved me once, before I had her power; and I have to repay her somehow. This is my quest, too."

"I understand how you feel, but Kakashi, you are Lord of the Leaf; you can't just run off whenever you feel like it."

"Stop making excuses to try and keep me here - I already told you my brother can run the village without me." Kakashi glowered, crossing his arms childishly. "Here's what's going to happen… If you take that egg, you're taking me, too. No exceptions, no compromise."

Iruka shot a glare at Kakashi's defiant expression, and started counting in his head to stop himself from arguing back. Kakashi was being stubborn, and clearly wouldn't listen to anything else he had to say about the matter; so there was no use continuing to try. Instead, when they got back to the village, he would find Kakashi's brother, and see if he could get him to talk some sense into him. But who _was_ his brother, anyway? Was it the other man from the day before, in the green and silver kimono - Tenzou? If not, Iruka would still look for him - he could tell he was at least close with Kakashi; so maybe he would be able to convince him to stay.

Iruka took a deep breath to cleanse his mind, and reached into the hole in the wall to grab the egg; which had a curious texture to it. Although it looked like snake skin, the shell felt harder, almost like he was holding some kind of scaled stone; and it was a lot warmer than he expected it to be, completely contrasting the coolness of the ruins, like its mother had been heating it the entire time. But she was definitely gone, and had been for a while; so Iruka guessed that she used some kind of enchantment with her spiritual energy to keep her egg warm.

Iruka turned, and his eyes drifted to Kakashi's covered neck, and widened in surprise when he noticed a faint glow peeking through the material of his undershirt. He looked back down at the egg reflectively, and stepped closer to Kakashi; and when the egg's pulsing glow seemed to become brighter, he took another step closer, watching it light up even more as the pulsing sped up. The egg was reacting to Kakashi's tattoo, like the dragon inside could sense its mother's power through him, and was calling out to it, and him; and when Iruka was distracted by blue in his peripheral vision, he found that there was an even brighter glow breaking through Kakashi's shirt.

He looked up at Kakashi's face to say something, but was caught off-guard by the distance between them. Their faces were inches apart, much closer than Iruka had been expecting; and Kakashi was studying him carefully, like he was trying to take in as much detail as possible to remember later. When he met his gaze, Iruka immediately noticed the gentleness in his expression, like they hadn't just argued moments ago; and he felt his cheeks grow warm. He was drawn to Kakashi, and found himself wanting to know more about him.

"I guess I have no choice but to take you with me, after all." Iruka eventually said, taking a step back. "But you will be on egg holding duty, since the dragon inside seems to have taken to you. That; and I need my hands free for when we come across enemies - my sword won't wield itself."

"Or you could use your dragon power to blast them away, instead."

"What kind of lord are you?! That could kill someone!" Iruka exclaimed. "Maybe I shouldn't entrust you with the egg, after all…"

"Maa, I'm only joking, Iruka." Kakashi chuckled, holding his hands up to surrender. "Please give it to me. I'll be careful with it."

"Okay, then." he agreed hesitantly, slowly handing it to him. "But one wrong move, and I'm taking it and leaving you behind."

"Alright, alright, I'll be good." Kakashi hummed contently, gently taking the egg.

It had been a while since anyone had spoken to him so freely and challenged him; and he was really enjoying the change of pace. For once, he felt relaxed and fulfilled, like he didn't have a ton of duties weighing him down, like he finally had room to breathe; and he couldn't wait to see what else would happen on his adventure with Iruka, and where things would lead.

He couldn't wait to finally be free.


	5. Chapter 5

"Ten-zou, I need a favour." Kakashi hummed.

"Oh no. What is it this time?"

"I'm leaving the village tomorrow," he explained, wandering into Tenzou's room and flopping across his giant bed, "so I want you to take my place while I'm gone."

"Eh? Why?!" Tenzou exclaimed, swivelling in his seat to face him. "Weren't you just saying the other day how you much you wanted to be here?"

"That was before my expedition with Iruka. Something came up, and now we have an important quest near the Village of Stone."

"Isn't that sort of thing what your guards are for? Why not just send them instead, so you can stay here?" he asked curiously.

"Because I'm the only person who can go. This quest…" Kakashi hesitated, staring up at the ceiling. "It's personal."

"Personal, huh? What happened?"

"It's not something I can discuss." He answered dismissively. Although Kakashi trusted Tenzou wholeheartedly, there were some things he wanted to keep to himself.

"Oh… Well, I uh, suppose I can take care of things." Tenzou said. "You wouldn't leave the village like this if it wasn't important."

"I knew I could count on you." Kakashi said, sitting back up on the bed. "One of these days, I should really hand my title over to you, since you do a lot of the work, anyway."

"Eh? Back on that again? What would you do instead, if you weren't Lord?"

"Hmn... Who knows? Maybe I'll figure it out while I'm travelling with Iruka." he said pensively.

Tenzou watched Kakashi, who had fallen silent, reflecting on the question. He was a great lord, following in his father's footsteps, but Tenzou knew he didn't like the position. When they were growing up, Kakashi had discovered his talent for martial arts and sword use, and quickly honed his skills, wanting to be a warrior like his mother had been; but although Sakumo was happy to let him choose the path he wanted, there was a lot of pressure placed on the family to have Kakashi rule next, since he was the sole Hatake heir - the last of their bloodline.

Despite this, Sakumo always assured Kakashi it was fine for him to become a warrior; that he was going to live a long life, so there was no need to worry about taking over any time soon; and that he should just enjoy himself and live how he wanted to instead. Kakashi listened to his encouragement; and while he followed his dream to become a warrior, Tenzou had chosen to tag along. He hadn't known what he wanted to do, but he was content being by Kakashi's side; and that was enough for him.

But Kakashi could be hard to figure out sometimes. He _had_ become the warrior that he wanted to be, and was one of the best in the Land of Fire; and used to always leave the village for very risky quests. Then one day, about ten years earlier, he had returned from a solo quest, almost dead, and visibly shaken. It took a while for him to recover; and as he healed, he was asked countless times what happened, but he never said a word, almost like he _couldn't_. Something changed him on that quest; and as soon as he was healthy again and out of the hospital, he announced his resignation as a Leaf warrior and said that he was going to accept his traditional position as Lord of the Leaf.

It was quite a shock, and hard to believe; but Kakashi followed through. He stuck by his father's side as he quickly learnt the ropes, having more and more responsibilities slowly passed onto him over time; and when Sakumo thought he was ready, he had stepped down to let Kakashi lead. Kakashi kept the village peaceful, demonstrating his abilities as a fair and generous leader, and quickly became very likeable and favoured amongst the Leaf; but although the villagers were happy, Tenzou could see that he was never as happy as he had been before he took the role. 

Every so often, he would become reflective and casually talk about handing over his position, much like now; and it became very obvious to Tenzou quite quickly that Kakashi didn't like being Lord, that he had taken the title out of obligation, and whatever the influence was from his final quest. Tenzou didn’t like seeing him so down and restless, being trapped in his position; so he often assisted to take away some of the burden; and although Kakashi rarely said anything, Tenzou knew he appreciated it.

Tenzou just wanted the best for Kakashi, to see him as happy as he used to be; and he hoped that his journey with this Iruka person would give him what he needed and help him decide what he wanted to do with himself now. And in the meantime; if Kakashi's time as Lord was coming to an end; then he had to start making his preparations to step in. It was time for him to stop following, and start leading.

"Well, I better go. I have a lot to prepare before I set off tomorrow." Kakashi said, slowly rising from the bed.

"Wait! Before you do, I have something for you."

"Hmn?"

"Here." he said, handing over a small package. "It's an antique ring an elderly lady gave me when we were doing our inspections. She said it has been infused with dragon energy, and when you break the jewel, it's supposed to have strong healing properties and can heal just about any wound. I want you to have it - it could be useful on your journey."

"Dragon energy, huh? It must be rare." Kakashi commented with interest. "Why were you given something like this?"

"The lady wanted to thank me for helping her with her garden. It was only a simple job; and I tried to tell her that I couldn't accept it, but she wouldn't let me leave without it."

"You've never been able to say no to stuff like that, have you?" Kakashi chuckled.

"Well, I didn't want to disappoint her." he mumbled as a light blush tinged his cheeks.

"Maa, no need to get embarrassed." Kakashi consoled. "You're paying attention to and considering the villagers' interests and needs; and that's important for keeping the peace. It's one of the reasons I'm confident leaving everything to you."

Kakashi strode to the door, and stopped when he reached it, turning back to say one last thing.

"I will write letters to keep in contact; but if you have any immediate problems, ask Dad for help, just in case I can't answer or make it back in time."

"I will." Tenzou said, rising from his seat. "Stay safe, Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded and left, raising his hand in a two finger salute as he disappeared, leaving Tenzou to himself. He didn't know what obstacles lay ahead, or where the future would lead; but there was one thing he was absolutely sure of…

Everything was about to change.


	6. Chapter 6

Kakashi looked out the window, scanning the compound grounds. He was expecting Iruka soon. They had originally planned on meeting at the gates, but it turned out the inn Iruka was staying at was closer to his place than the gates, and on the way; so he suggested meeting at home instead.

When he saw a lone figure wandering through the garden at the entrance of the compound, he adjusted his belt and pouches, and slipped a plain hooded cloak on; and when he was comfortable, he strapped on his sword, then walked to the bed, where the dragon egg had been temporarily placed. He carefully lowered it into a hessian drawstring bag and strung it over his shoulder, adjusting it so it wouldn't sway while he walked. By the time he was done, he heard voices downstairs; and that was his cue to leave.

"I'm sorry to intrude. Is Kaka- I mean Lord Hatake here?" Iruka asked.

He had been greeted by a man who was practically the spitting image of Kakashi; if his face was free of cloth, his hair was longer, and he was older. They looked so alike that it had to be the brother he mentioned. He definitely looked capable of running a village in his place, and somehow seemed more suited for it.

"You must be Iruka. Come on in, Kakashi should be down in a minute."

"Thank you."

Iruka stepped through the arched stone doorway into a spacious entrance hall that stood tall, with sculpted pillars and marbled stone walls raising the ceiling; and the polished wooden floor shone reflectively, capturing crisp images of everything around it, from his very feet, to the base of a flight of stairs directly across, and up to a second floor. The room was decorated with vintage furniture, and long scrolls that rolled along the wall, sharing their space with unlit candles that fit into their bracketed iron holders; and in a corner beside the staircase, a crimson and brown patterned rug was stepped on by a glass cabinet displaying a collection of personal possessions, from photographs, to engraved blades, to… fossils? Or a rock collection? Iruka couldn't tell from where he was, but it was clearly someone's prized possession.

"You've got a lovely home."

"Ah, thank you." Kakashi's brother smiled. "The compound is much too big for just a few of us; but it's been in our family for years, and none of us have the heart to give it up. You can take a look around while you're waiting, if you like."

"Thank you."

As Iruka explored the entrance hall, he examined the glass cabinet more closely, confirming that it was a rock collection he had seen, and not fossils; and then he spotted a picture of Kakashi and the man. Kakashi and his brother were standing next to each other, Kakashi, waist height against his older sibling; and both of them had wide grins plastered across their face, as though they had been laughing at something. Kakashi had no mask on in the photo, showing off the cheekiness of his expression in its entirety; and he wasn't wearing an eye patch, so Iruka saw the way both of his eyes sparkled in pure joy; and it made him want to smile, too. Kakashi was adorable as a kid.

"Kakashi's grandmother organised that before she passed. I still don't know how she managed to convince him to take his mask off, _and_ smile for it."

"I'm amazed." Iruka commented conversationally as he stared at the frame. "Kakashi mentioned that he had a brother; but I never imagined you two would look so alike. You could almost be twins."

The man let out a hearty laugh, the rich sound echoing across the house; and Iruka studied him in confusion, wondering what was so funny.

"I'm flattered you made that assumption, Iruka; but I'm actually his father."

"Y-You _are_?! I'm sorry." Iruka bowed, his skin flushing deeply. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Please, just Sakumo is fine." he smiled kindly. "You don't need to be formal around me."

"Like father, like son." Iruka chuckled to himself, recalling how Kakashi had said similar when they first met.

Sakumo watched him with interest, slightly cocking his head to the side in a way so similar to Kakashi that Iruka almost thought it was him; and Iruka, himself, was intrigued. Kakashi and his father's mannerisms were so alike, it was really hard to believe they weren't siblings. But if they weren't, what did his actual brother look like - a clone?

"You're not talking about me again, are you, Dad?"

Kakashi appeared at the top of the stairs, and wandered down, his lone eye more active than his movement. He had heard a little bit of the conversation between Iruka and his father, and he was pleased to find they were getting along; but he was a little anxious, wondering what kind of story his dad had shared this time while he wasn't there. Most of the time, it was something really embarrassing; and he didn't want Iruka getting the wrong impression of him.

"You didn't give me a chance to." Sakumo grinned. Kakashi shot him a look. Considering getting chatty was a habit of his, he didn't exactly believe him.

"Well, whatever the case, I'm leaving now." he said, standing by Iruka's side. "Don't know when I'll be back, but the village will be fine, since Tenzou is going to run things while I'm gone."

"Have you got everything you need?"

"What am I, five?" Kakashi commented. "Of course I do. It's not my first time out of the village."

"I know that, but it's been a while since you've travelled like this. And last time you went on a quest…" Sakumo replied. "A father can only worry."

"I'll be fine. I won't be alone this time; and from what I've seen, Iruka is a seasoned traveller and a very capable companion. We will return in one piece."

"I'll take your word for it." Sakumo turned to Iruka. "Please take care of him. He's an experienced warrior, but I'm afraid he lacks self-preservation."

"Don't worry." Iruka bowed. "Kakashi is in safe hands."

"Okay, Dad, we're going now." Kakashi said, anxiously tugging Iruka towards the door.

"Alright." Sakumo chuckled, ruffling Kakashi's hair before he stepped out of reach. "I'll see you when you return."

"Yep. See ya."

"Uh, goodbye, Sakumo." Iruka waved, slightly confused, as he was being dragged away.

It was strange seeing Kakashi so embarrassed.

Once they were off compound grounds, it was a relatively quick walk to the gates since they just had to follow the main road; but with the growing crowd shuffling along to start work for the day or shop for produce at the already open markets, it felt like a particularly slow journey. And the longer they walked together, the easier it was for Iruka to notice all the eyes on them. At first, it was just people greeting Kakashi and sending him off; but Iruka soon realised that after they had passed these people, they went straight to whispering amongst each other, gossiping about one thing or another.

Most of the villagers were just curious about where Kakashi was going, since he was clearly dressed for travel; and they started talking about his history as a warrior before he had stepped down to take over as Lord. Iruka found the stories interesting to listen to - even if they were exaggerated, he could tell that Kakashi really did have talent; and although he never underestimated him in the first place, it made Iruka feel more at ease knowing he could rely on him.

"Who is that handsome man beside Lord Hatake?"

"I saw them together yesterday, too." a younger woman supplied.

"You don't think they're…"

"Think they're what?" she inquired curiously.

Iruka watched in his peripheral vision as a middle-aged woman whispered something into a younger lady's ear, making her blush furiously.

"Eep!" she squealed, covering her mouth with a hand. "I wish _I_ could be like that with the lord!"

Iruka felt his face grow hot - he _never_ should have eavesdropped on them. Now he had to live with the fact that at least two people, and probably a lot more than that by the end of the day, thought he was dating Kakashi, the lord of the Leaf. Iruka risked a peep over at Kakashi to gauge his reaction, only to find that his expression hadn't shifted once during that exchange. How could he keep a straight face? He had to have heard them…

Finally, after what felt like hours, they reached the gates, where there was one final burst of morning activity. Guards patrolled the square, keeping an eye out for wanted people and watching for suspicious activity; and travel merchants set themselves up around the open space, leaving the main path free for visitors and people leaving the village to wander past. And despite the fact it was still early, and there weren't many people around besides merchants still preparing for the day, there was a lot of noise in the square, sweeping the stillness of night away. More specifically, there was a booming voice echoing by a cart close to the gate. And the person that voice belonged to was none other than…

"Kakashi! Iruka! It's good to see you again!"

Kakashi and Iruka stopped and turned simultaneously, staring at one another with equally confused expressions.

" _You_ know Gai, too?"


	7. Chapter 7

The best way Iruka could describe Gai was that he was an eccentric ball of energy. He was generally over-the-top and loud, and sometimes didn't quite seem to understand social cues and had strange trains of thought, often leading to awkward misunderstandings; but Iruka often wondered if part of that was some kind of guise. If he took a good look at him, Gai had the build of a seasoned warrior, rather than travel merchant; but by being drawn to his exuberant personality and outlandish outfits - this time wasn't so bad, in his skin-tight dark green undershirt, orange vest, white tights, and worn leather boots; it was easy to miss the finer details.

"Hi, Gai. How's business?" Iruka asked.

He had a messy but full display of all sorts of things in his cart. Gai mainly sold weapons, but if he came across other knick knacks that he liked, such as lucky charms, enchanted jewellery, and just about anything he thought would keep someone strong, he would invest in that, too; and this time, it looked like he had scored a few interesting items to trade.

"Ah, the same as usual! Though I have run into a lot more bandits and criminals lately, keeping me in shape!" Gai beamed. "But enough about me, Iruka. I haven't seen you in Konoha before - what are you doing with dear Kakashi? I wasn't aware that you two were acquainted!"

"We only met a couple of days ago. His party was ambushed on the way to the village, and I jumped in to help them. He wanted to thank me for my help, and I asked to look at a map to figure out how to get to my next investigation; but Kakashi decided to escort me there himself. So we're not overly acquainted, but we have spent a great deal of time together since my arrival."

"That's wonderful news!" Gai slapped a heavy arm on Kakashi's shoulder. "Kakashi here isn't usually interested in people he isn't already close with; so it's good to see he's had a change of heart. And for him to find you of all people; it must be fate!"

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, you will find out, if you haven't already!" he brushed off casually.

Gai's eyes wandered over to Kakashi and his attire; and for a second, Iruka thought he saw his gaze settle on Kakashi's neck just a little longer with a knowing glance, like he was aware of the tattoo beneath. Then just like that, the moment passed; and Gai spoke again. 

"Say, I haven't seen you in that gear since your warrior days." he commented. "Am I right to assume you have taken on another quest?"

"You could say that. Iruka and I are going to the Land of Earth, somewhere near the Village of Stone."

"Fantastic! I, too, have planned to visit the Land of Earth; but I am leaving Konoha in two days." he grinned. "Kakashi, Iruka, in the name of youthfulness, let's compete in a challenge!"

"No."

"I have been keeping count of our results, and I have won one more than you, Kakashi. Wouldn't you like to even out the score?"

"I can't. Iruka and I have somewhere to be."

"Don't you worry about that, dear rival! The challenge I have in mind won't take any time away from your duties."

"Okay, fine." Kakashi gave in. "What is it?"

"Since it takes four days to reach Iwa from here, we will race to see who will arrive first!"

"But Gai, we're leaving right now; and you said you still had another couple of days here." Iruka interjected.

"Ha, ha!" Gai bellowed heartily. "You may have a head start, but that will not guarantee your win!"

"Well, if you say so…"

"Maa, Iruka, how can you be acquainted with Gai and be skeptical of his skill?"

"You're right." Iruka turned his attention to Gai, his eyes sparkling, and a teasing smirk playing across his lips. "Gai, I accept your challenge… I do hope we're not waiting _too_ long for you at the finish line."

"Ha, ha, ha! That's the spirit!" Gai bellowed. "I can feel the springtime of youth among us! This will be a challenge to remember!"

"Well, we're going now." Kakashi said. "See you on the other side."

"Just a moment! One last thing before you leave. Kakashi, Iruka; let me give you something for your journey!"

"You have given me enough already." Iruka said politely. "I can't accept another one of your gifts."

"Nonsense! After what you did for me in the Village of Rain, I can't have you leaving empty handed!" Gai said, jumping around the back of his cart, searching through some boxes.

"I don't have a choice, do I...?" Iruka asked himself.

"Maa, it's easier to just let it happen." Kakashi murmured contently, putting a hand on Iruka's shoulder.

"True."

When Gai returned, he was carrying something small wrapped in cloth, and some kind of book. He beelined straight for Iruka, and stopped in front of him, handing over the cloth package.

"This is a special elixir I found in the desert on my way to Suna. Have a look at it later - I think you will find it useful." Gai said mysteriously.

"Thank you." Iruka said, gently taking the gift, gripping what felt like a small bottle inside. As he carefully placed it in his pouch, Gai turned his attention to Kakashi.

"Is that Icha-Icha I see?" Kakashi asked hopefully, eyeing off the book.

"Ha, ha, you have a good eye, dear Kakashi!" Gai beamed. "It's a signed limited edition of the one that just got released."

"I don't believe it - thank you!" Kakashi said, almost vibrating excitedly in place as he held it in his hands. "I'm looking forward to reading this."

While Kakashi examined his book and read the blurb on the back, Iruka turned his attention to Gai.

"I'm afraid I don't have anything to give you in return," he said, "but how about when we meet at Iwa, the three of us go for a meal?"

"What a lovely idea!"

"Then, if you don't mind, we need to start our journey."

"Of course! I will see you in four days!"

"Don't be late." Kakashi commented, pocketing his book as he turned to leave.

Gai's loud, hearty laughter filled the air as they parted ways; and he still held his signature grin when Kakashi and Iruka were no longer in sight. With those two deciding to travel together...

Things were about to get interesting.


	8. Chapter 8

It was a beautiful day across the Land of Fire; and Kakashi was appreciating every moment of it. Travelling on foot gave him time to take in the details of the world around him; to be able to see individual pieces of bark, small bugs fluttering from flower to flower, and the different shapes and shades of each individual leaf, rather than the blur of colours he usually saw when he travelled by carriage through the forest; and he liked the change of pace.

The midday sun was drizzling through the canopy of trees rising high above the path, coating him and Iruka in its warm blanket; and the brown, red, and yellow leaves scattered along the dirt trail crunched gently beneath their feet, softened by the moisture on the ground from the early morning dew, still settled beneath them in the shadows.

The air was peaceful, gently swirling through the branches up above, making them slow dance to nature's song; and a soft draft floated past the trees' trunks, trickling along Kakashi's and Iruka's skin, taming the heat of the sun's rays that had fallen on them. It smelled fresh and earthy, like the land was celebrating a recent bout of rain; and walking through the calming forest, Kakashi felt rejuvenated.

He hadn't said much on their trip so far, nor had Iruka, much like when they went to the ruins; and Kakashi found himself enjoying the quiet company - he didn't feel the need to fill the silence, like he was travelling with someone he's known for years. Tenzou could be just as quiet on their travels, though sometimes it seemed forced; and it had been a while since he had met someone else who also sought peace and quiet. 

Iruka looked comfortable, too - he was smiling to himself, such a calm, sweet smile, like he was in his element out here; and Kakashi envied the fact that he got to experience this all the time. He knew he could have done the same if he hadn't taken up his role as lord; but there was a reason he had done that and ended up where he was, so he wouldn't complain. Instead, he would enjoy this chance to be free again.

"Looks like there's some water around here." Iruka suddenly said, glancing at the moss growing on the trees, and the gradually dampening ground marking their footprints. "Why don't we take a quick break once we get to it?"

"Sounds good."

They found a small river a little way ahead, gently flowing across an uneven bed of stones; and where there was a small dip down the mountain, the layout of the land had created a very small waterfall, which was spraying droplets of water in a fine mist across the large boulders that were poised around it.

A couple of fat bearded-dragon lizards were sunbathing on the dry parts of the stone on the other side of the water; and when Iruka approached the river's edge to join them by the rocks, they watched him untrustingly, but didn't stir, perhaps enjoying the sun too much to want to hide.

Once Iruka had found a large flat boulder to sit on, he pulled out a map to pinpoint where they were. Although he had been to the Land of Earth a few times before, he hadn't ventured there in a while, and didn't know his way from the Land of Fire - it was new territory for him; and he wanted to make sure he knew where they were going and what to expect later.

"What are you looking for?" Kakashi asked curiously, sitting beside him, almost shoulder to shoulder.

"Nothing in particular. I just haven't been this way before, so I want to familiarise myself with the land."

Iruka trailed his finger along the map, locating where they were and what was around them. It looked like they had another day or so in the forest, and then… Well, he wasn't quite sure, except that they would be out of the Land of Fire.

"What's that stretch of land in between the Land of Fire and Land of Earth?" Iruka asked, brushing his finger along the unmarked area between the two countries. "Farmland?"

"Mostly. Though right here," Kakashi reached over his hand and pointed to a place near the Land of Rain borders, "is a small village."

"Oh, great! It's a little out of the way by the looks of it, but if we head there, we should arrive by sundown tomorrow, meaning we can find somewhere secure to sleep." Iruka said. "Not that I mind sleeping under the stars; but staying in an inn will be a good opportunity to gather all kinds of useful information. Would you like to go there?"

"I think it would be okay to take the detour. At the moment it doesn't seem like we need to rush to the dragon - I get the sense that this unborn one is healthy and content."

"I've been meaning to ask; were there any complications last night? Does anyone else know?"

"No. No one else knows, and everything went smoothly. I kept the egg by my side, except during dinner and when I told Tenzou and Dad that I would be leaving - it was hidden safely in my bedroom then; and the longer it's been around me, the more I've been able to sense the dragon inside, and its state."

"Interesting… You must be able to tell because you have some of its mother's energy." Iruka said, intrigued. "I have very... heightened senses when it comes to dragons, but I can't detect anything like that."

"Your skills are certainly impressive, from what I've seen. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're part dragon." Kakashi joked, turning to Iruka.

"Maybe I am." he winked.

"Really?"

"No!" Iruka giggled, playfully bumping his shoulder against him.

Kakashi smiled fondly under his mask, enjoying the way Iruka's face had lit up in amusement when he had pretended to be serious about his question; and he listened contently as he became familiar with the sound of his laugh. It was a rich, sweet melody that complemented his smile; and Kakashi decided he would be happy to listen to it all day. Or hear him talk. Or perhaps even just watch him do things and learn all about him.

Kakashi blushed as he studied Iruka.

He was definitely developing a crush on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it makes it less confusing, I'm using the Naruto world map set up for the story (roughly) and making up my own places in each country. The smaller countries may or may not be accurate to the map, but main places like Konoha, Suna, etc. should be; so hopefully that gives you a rough idea of where they're travelling :)
> 
> I hope you're enjoying the fic so far!


	9. Chapter 9

Kakashi and Iruka were making good time. It had been a day and a half since they started their journey, and they were already out of the forest and onto open land, indicating that they were no longer in Leaf territory; and Iruka was really enjoying the view. He had enjoyed being in the forest, but the lush range of greens softening the terrain of the layered strips of farmland that stepped down the mountain and across other hills was breathtaking.

The terrace had been transformed into rice paddies, with the banks filled with crops in various stages of growth; and the pools of water flooding each strip reflected off the midday sun, casting glassy, mosaic reflections across the land. The track they needed to take wound through all of this; and off in the distance, as Iruka followed along the view, he saw that the rice paddies changed to fields of yellow; and he could only imagine that wheat or barley grew over there. Though, if he had been reading the map correctly, he wouldn't be able to confirm that, as there was supposed to be a turnoff along the path before then, leading them in a different direction.

He and Kakashi continued to venture along, neither wanting to take a break after being inspired by the change of scenery to keep going; and as the hours ticked by, and the sun slowly dragged itself across the sky and began to set, they finally caught sight of a small village in the distance, barricaded by a tall wooden fence.

As they approached, farmers in the fields stopped and stared, and then waved at them as they walked past; and Iruka waved back, pleasantly surprised to see that the villagers were so friendly. They continued on past the open gates, stepping foot inside the village; and although it was smaller than Konoha, it felt just as lively, with everyone doing the last of their errands before the sun disappeared.

Passing through the town square, while merchants were packing up or chatting to customers, trying to get in a few more sales in for the day, a small group of children were running around playing tag, more than likely waiting for their parents to finish work. Iruka felt like he and Kakashi were being watched, like they stood out from the rest of the crowd; and he couldn't tell whether it was because they were unfamiliar faces and looked like seasoned adventurers, or because they were wearing high quality gear that made them seem rich. But although the staring and whispers made him feel a little uneasy, he was used to it, having travelled a lot throughout his life; and he quickly ignored everyone's curious gazes, paying attention to his surroundings instead, studying them with interest as he walked along the cobblestone path.

The majority of buildings were very similar to one another, being structured with dark wooden limbs and foundations, and the walls filled in with creamy panelling; and those that weren't the same were completely wooden, instead; some older and more fallen apart than others. Running free amongst the alleyways was a couple of stray dogs sniffing for scraps; and Iruka could also hear some clucking in the distance, where some chickens were gossiping in a coop. He was sure he heard other farm animals, too; but he couldn't be sure with the other noises around him.

Suddenly, he heard a high-pitched scream, bringing his attention back to the square; and one of the kids playing tag, a boy no older than five, ran right into him, not looking at where he was going. Iruka stumbled back a little, but didn't fall, nor was he hurt - in fact, he was more worried about the boy, instead; and when he was steady again, he looked around to check on him, and saw that he hadn't fallen, and was still continuing his game with the other kids.

"Hey, you have to apologise if you run into someone!" the eldest, a girl about ten years old scolded. The boy stopped running, and stared at her, unsure what to do now, as though he was trying to figure out whether he was just being told off, or actually had to follow the instructions.

"Well, go on." she encouraged. "Tell the man you're sorry."

The boy nodded, and turned back to Iruka, approaching him shyly.

"'Scuse me, Mister." he said. "I'm sorry for running into you."

"It's okay." Iruka smiled warmly, gently ruffling his hair. "Just be careful where you're going next time, hey? Or else you might run into someone scary."

"Like him?" he asked, looking at Kakashi.

"You mean my travel partner?" Iruka chuckled. "He's not scary at all!"

The boy looked Kakashi in the eyes with a scrutinising gaze, trying to figure out if Iruka was lying or not; and the longer he stared, the more unsettled Kakashi became. He wasn't very good with kids; and he felt like the boy was staring right into his soul.

"Where are you from?" the kid eventually asked him, seemingly satisfied that Iruka was telling the truth.

"I'm from a place far away from here called Konoha." Kakashi answered.

"Really?" the boy turned to Iruka. "Do you come from there, too?"

"What do _you_ think?" Iruka asked. The boy considered it for a moment.

"I think that you do!" he declared with a grin.

"Hiro, are you done yet?!" the girl called out, running over to them. "We need to go!"

"Aww! Do we have to?" he complained, turning to her.

"Yes, c'mon!" she insisted. "Or do you want to get in trouble again?"

"No…" he grumbled, trotting away. As he left, the girl turned to Kakashi and Iruka.

"Sorry about my brother. He doesn't have any manners."

"You're doing a good job teaching him." Iruka smiled kindly.

"T-Thank you." she blushed, then turned to leave.

"Before you go, do you know if there's an inn around here?" Kakashi asked. "Or perhaps a place here that at least has a room we can stay?"

"Yes!" she said, her eyes lighting up excitedly, eager to help out. "There's a place just up ahead that all the travellers go when they come here. It's a big building - you can't miss it!"

"Thank you." he smiled.

The girl beamed, then run off to catch up with her brother; and Kakashi and Iruka continued their journey, following the girl's directions. There was an interesting array of buildings around; some were small shops, some houses, and some two storeys high with a shop on the bottom and house on top; and Iruka was beginning to wonder if the inn would have a similar set up, with the food and bar on the bottom, and rooms on top, and whether there would be a balcony or not. As he was daydreaming to himself, studying his surroundings, he sensed that he was being watched again, more intensely than with the curious villagers; and he turned to find that Kakashi had been looking at him.

"What?" he asked.

"I uh, don't mean to pry," he said hesitantly, "but I noticed that you didn't tell that boy where you're from; and I was just wondering why."

"Oh, that? Ahh…" he thought, "He wouldn't have understood if I told him I had no home."

"Hmn? But you have to have come from somewhere…"

"Well, I did," Iruka faltered, "but most people think the place doesn't exist; and it's better to let them think that, so I often let them make assumptions."

"But you're telling me the truth?"

"Well, you have dragon power, too - I'd be surprised if you haven't at least heard of the Origin continent before…"

Kakashi stopped in his tracks, and his eyes grew wide in shock.

"You mean, you're from…?"

"Yes." Iruka said. "I'm from the Land of Scales."

"But... You're not a dragon. How did you survive?"

"Hmm..." Iruka considered, taking in their surroundings, noticing that there was more people around than before.

"I'll tell you more when we're away from prying eyes."


	10. Chapter 10

The girl Kakashi and Iruka met had been right - there was no way they could have missed the inn. It was a grand building, standing three stories high; and the grounds seemed to take up as much space as four small buildings. It had the same design as the other buildings in the village, with thick wooden frames and foundations, and creamy panels filling the space for the walls; though just above the door was a long, styled stick branching off into the street, holding a lit lantern that was hanging at the end. Along the stick was also a wooden sign attached, hanging loosely below, with Koshiro's Tavern painted in black; and just below that was an even smaller sign with a picture of a bed, a beer mug, and cutlery painted blue.

The paint was weathered and cracked, with some of it peeling, telling Iruka the tavern had been around for a while; and looking at the size of the building, it seemed like this small village was a particularly popular rest stop. That didn't surprise him, considering it was in a very convenient spot, less than a day away from the Land of Fire, Land of Earth, and the Land of Rain. What did surprise him, though, was that the village wasn't any bigger, considering how many travellers seemed to stop by; but he also wondered whether that was because the people didn't want to build into their prosperous farmland.

Iruka glanced at Kakashi, who nodded at him, ready to go in; and when he opened the door, the first thing he noticed was the stench of alcohol, which immediately hit him, as though the odour had soaked into the entire inn. But as he looked around, instead of finding himself by the bar, he saw that they had walked into a lobby, with an old, worn lounge set up against the wall, which had been decorated with a framed painting of the land.

To the left of the room was a small, dimly lit hallway and a flight of stairs; and to the right was a door leading into what seemed to be the pub and dining area, if the lively voices and clinging of cutlery and glassware was any indicator. And right up ahead in the lobby was a long polished wooden desk taking up almost the entire length of the wall, with a wooden board behind it holding sets of keys that were hanging on nails.

Kakashi closed the door behind him, noticing a small tinkling bell he hadn't heard when Iruka let them in; and as the bell jingled to a stop, a plump middle-aged man suddenly lifted his head from behind the front desk; and greeted them with a smile.

"Welcome, travellers!" he said. "After a room, I gather?"

"Yes, please. We plan on staying only tonight. What have you got available?"

"Well, with the Harvest Festival coming up, it's a busy time for us, so we're nearly booked out. And that means..." the man replied thoughtfully, opening a book filled with guest names and dates. "I can only do you a double. Will that be okay?"

"That will do us just fine." Kakashi said, handing over several gold coins.

"Sir, this is too much!" the man said, grabbing the coins to hand them back. "Just a silver is all you need to pay."

"It's fine." Kakashi waved off pleasantly. "Keep the change."

"I couldn't - really!" he protested, handing over the coins again, this time to Iruka, so he would take them. But Iruka didn't accept the coins, either.

"If you can't take it for yourself, why don't you consider it a donation to the tavern, instead?" he suggested. "I'm sure this could cover some of the expenses."

"T-Thank you for your generosity." the man bowed gratefully. "Let me get your key."

He picked a set off the board behind him, in the section labelled "Second Floor", and handed it over to Kakashi, apologising that he couldn't upgrade them to something better, and insisted that they come down for a free meal later. Kakashi thanked him, then he and Iruka made their way to their room, turning left onto the hallway, and up the stairs. They followed it along, right near to the end; and when Kakashi found their number, just a couple of doors away from the floor's shared bathroom, he unlocked the door and let himself and Iruka in.

As Iruka followed behind and closed their door, he looked around with interest. His first impression was that the room was small and cosy, like being in a wooden cabin; and looking around, he saw that it was lit up by the last of the sunset filtering through a window on the right. Beneath it was a neatly made bed, with plain white sheets; and at the foot of it was a large chest where he and Kakashi could store their belongings. Directly opposite the bed was an old, brown two seater lounge that seemed to be missing half its stuffing and needed to be replaced; and just in front of it was a small coffee table. The room had also been fitted with a small wardrobe; but since they were only going to be staying the night, Iruka didn't think that he nor Kakashi would use it. Overall, the room was quite quaint, and worth the silver the man was going to charge for it; but the more Iruka looked around, the more he felt like something was out of place. And then he noticed it.

"A-Are we in the right room?" he asked. "There's only one bed."

"Maa, Iruka, what did you think the man meant when he said he had a double?" Kakashi asked in amusement.

"I thought he meant -" Iruka groaned and slapped his forehead. "I was thinking _twin_ … You don't suppose the inn has a spare futon or something in storage, do you?"

"I don't think so - the man did say they had a lot of guests right now."

"Well, you can have the bed, since you paid for the room." Iruka offered. "I'll sleep on the lounge."

"Why not share the bed?" Kakashi suggested, feeling his face grow a little warm. "I don't have any issues with it."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Of course. The bed was made for two people, and there's only one of me… Besides," Kakashi said, glancing at the old, worn lounge, "I will sleep better knowing I'm not the only one who's comfortable."

"I-If that's what you would prefer," Iruka said uncertainly, as a blush grew on his cheeks. "Then I will share the bed with you."

"I'm glad."

With that out of the way, Kakashi walked towards the lounge, carefully taking the hessian bag off his back that he had been carrying the egg in, and placed it on one of the cushions as he removed his sword and coat, too, revealing his clothes underneath - the same outfit he had worn on the day he and Iruka had ventured to the Dragon Ruins, except this tunic, and none of his gear was marked with the Hatake clan symbol. He didn't think it would be a good idea to flaunt that he, the Lord of the Leaf, wasn't home, running the place, as he knew there would be people who would want to take advantage of that. Word would probably still spread, especially if his villagers shared the news; but the longer he could keep it quiet, the better - it would save Tenzou a load of trouble.

"Any changes in the egg during our travel?" Iruka asked, eyeing off the bag as he also removed his sword and some of his gear.

"Not that I've noticed." Kakashi replied as he moved to the bed and fell back onto it, staring up at the plain wooden ceiling. "I get the impression that my bit of power is helping to keep it incubated and healthy; so I don't expect there will be much change."

"That's good." Iruka replied, taking a seat on the lounge, resting his legs after their long journey. "It means we can extend our travel time if necessary; though I would like to get this sorted as soon as possible."

"As would I." Kakashi agreed.

But although he was hoping for the best, something was telling him it wasn't going to be that easy.


	11. Chapter 11

After Kakashi and Iruka had rested for a bit, Kakashi laying on the bed, and Iruka relaxing on the lounge, their stomachs started to growl ferociously, protesting to not being filled; so they ventured downstairs for some food. They passed a small group of people as they went down; and when they reached the lobby, they saw several more entering the tavern's pub. Kakashi noted to himself that most seemed friendly, but were too involved in their own worlds to notice them; and he was happy with that, because he and Iruka would be able to listen out for information more easily without the attention.

The pub was rustic, with warm lanterns lighting the room with their intimate glow; and each wooden table, prepared for four, had its own candle lighting the space. To the left of the entrance way was a small line of people waiting to order food; and at the back of the room, stretching across the wall, was the bar, with a set of filled wooden stools lining its bench.

The room was warm, being packed full of people; and the voices surrounding them were almost bedlam as everyone tried to talk over one another. It was full of life, like any tavern, and seemed to be a favourite place for the locals to visit, too - Iruka recognised the pale green loose-fitting tunics of the rice farmers he had seen on the way into the village.

"Looks like we might have trouble finding somewhere to sit." he commented, noting that the tables surrounding them were all full. "How about I go and order our food, while you get us a table."

"Good plan. I'll just have whatever the special is tonight; and if there isn't one, anything is fine."

"Okay." Iruka nodded. "I'll be back soon."

As Iruka walked off, Kakashi looked around for an empty table, which there seemed to be a lack of. His eyes darted from the entrance, to the middle of the room, to the walls; and he finally found a small table by the bar. He smiled to himself as he made his way over - he couldn't have found a better spot if he tried. If anyone was going to tell him and Iruka what they needed to know, it would be here.

When Kakashi reached the table, he took his bag off and gently set it by his feet, beneath his chair. Although he and Iruka could store their belongings in the chest in their room, he thought it would be too risky to leave the dragon egg alone in a place like this, with so many people around, so he opted to bring it along. He guessed that the bag would draw eyes, as many people had left everything in their rooms, and those who didn't generally had something valuable with them; but he was confident that he and Iruka would be able to handle any problems that may arise.

When Kakashi was settled, he took a better look at the people around him, and saw a few large groups; but he also noticed that most of the tables had smaller groups of two or three, which he suspected were travel merchants visiting for the Harvest Festival he and Iruka had been told was coming up.

As Kakashi continued to take in his surroundings, he spotted Iruka waiting in line to order, standing in a disciplined stance; and he watched him with interest, reminded once again that despite how comfortable he felt around him, he really didn't know much about him at all. Iruka was a mystery that Kakashi was dying to know more about, especially after hearing that he comes from the Land of Scales.

It shouldn't have been possible, because the Origin continent was a place of legends in which only dragons lived, and was supposed to be uninhabitable for humans. He had also heard from the dragon that gave him his power that the dragons living on the continent had cast a magic barrier to keep it completely hidden from humans; so no one should have even been able to find it. But although the facts said Iruka living there wasn't possible, Kakashi had a feeling that he hadn't been lying when he said that was where he come from; and that only gave him so much more to think about. How did Iruka get to the Land of Scales? Did a dragon take him in? _Why?_ And if he had lived there, did that mean that the legends were wrong, and that people _could_ live there?

Kakashi stared at his hands and sighed. He had so many questions for Iruka, but no way of getting answers… yet.

As Kakashi got lost in his thoughts, he barely registered movement at the table; and when his eyes drifted over to the distraction, he was almost surprised to find that Iruka had returned with an edamame entrée to share while they waited for their meals.

"It came with the special." he commented, picking at the bowl of soybeans.

"Oh? What's the special?" Kakashi asked, reaching for the entrée, too.

"Yakitori. Ten skewers for several copper coins."

"They use copper here?" Kakashi asked in interest. "I thought that was being phased out, since most things sell for bronze and higher now… Why charge so little for a meal?"

"I had the same thoughts, so I asked the woman who served me about it; and she said that the owner of the tavern - the man who checked us in, grew up very poor, and sometimes had to go without food so his younger siblings could eat. Then when he finally saved enough to get the tavern running, he wanted to make sure that no one ever had to feel the hunger that he did growing up, so he decided to make the daily special affordable for everyone; and has never changed the price since opening. Sometimes he offers discounted and free accommodation to homeless locals for the night, too, if he's got the room."

"He's very kind-hearted, isn't he?" Kakashi smiled. "I'm happy to have been able to support him with my donation."

"Yeah. I'm glad he accepted the money."

Iruka and Kakashi continued to pick at their entrée, occasionally filling the silence with small talk, but mainly keeping quiet so they could monitor people's conversations. So far, there wasn't anything worth listening to - mainly merchants talking about their day and how many sales they made, and about how much they were expecting to make at the Harvest Festival; but a lot of these merchants had bought drinks to go with their meals, so Iruka was confident that more important things would slip later.

As Iruka and Kakashi were finishing up their entrée, Koshiro, the owner of the tavern, delivered their yakitori; and Iruka stared at their plates in surprise - rather than the ten chicken skewers they were each supposed to get, they had a large platter with a variety of meats, and some vegetable skewers.

"W-What's all this?" he asked in confusion. "I didn't order this much."

"You didn't claim your free meal, so I'm making sure you get your money's worth." Koshiro smiled.

"Thank you." Iruka said. "But you really didn't have to do that!"

"Please accept it as a token of my appreciation for your generous payment earlier. I would like to offer you a complementary drink, too, so please make sure you visit the bar at some point."

"Very well, then." Kakashi smiled. "I'm sure some sake would go down well when we're done with this."

"Wonderful." Koshiro bowed. "Please enjoy your stay at the tavern."

When he left, Iruka turned back to the pile of skewered meat and vegetables on his plate, noting that there was easily enough for two people, maybe even three.

"There's no way I'm going to be able to eat all of this, but I'm going to feel rude if I leave anything on my plate…"

"Hmn… Why don't we challenge each other to see who can eat the most, then? It might motivate you to get through more."

"A challenge?" Iruka considered it, then grinned. "Okay, you're on."

After about two thirds of his meal, Iruka was starting to feel nauseous and bloated - he had definitely eaten way too much; and he was struggling to finish the skewer that he was on, chewing each piece of pork very slowly, like his mouth was reluctant to let anything else down his throat. The yakitori had been delicious, but after this piece, Iruka didn't think he'd be able to manage any more food; so when he swallowed, he put his half-eaten skewer down, and looked towards Kakashi to see how he was going. And all he could do was stare in surprise.

"How on earth do you only have three skewers left?!" he exclaimed. "Don't you feel sick?"

"Only a little bit." Kakashi said contently. "This isn't the most I've had to eat for a challenge before."

"For a challenge? You mean against Gai?"

"Yeah. We have done a few food challenges before, when I can get away with it; but Gai mostly likes to race or spar with me."

"How did you two meet?"

"He comes from Konoha, and used to train at the Academy with me."

"Ohh… That would explain why I've always thought he seemed more like a seasoned warrior than a merchant!"

"You could tell?"

"It's not that hard to pick up if you look past his appearance and eccentric notions."

"Hmn… You're quite perceptive, aren't you?" Kakashi smiled warmly, resting his chin in his hand.

"It comes with experience." Iruka blushed.

Kakashi and Iruka fell silent again as their dinner digested, and started listening to the people around them again. Everyone was well into conversation now, past all the pleasantries and small talk; and with the help of a little alcohol, some of the travellers who were chatting, had started opening up and trading secrets and sharing stories about what they had come across on their journeys. Most of the drama was centred around bandits, muggings, and gangs causing trouble all over the place, and others were about encounters with wild animals - the usual kind of things Iruka often heard about; but as well as all this, there were some hushed voices that caught his attention. 

"Nuh-uh, I don't believe it. You're pulling my leg."

"It's true, I swear!"

"They're just creatures imagined for stories - there's no way someone found a dragon tooth! I bet they were over-exaggerating, and it was really a bear, or something."

"That's what I thought at first, too; but you know what they said to me?"

"What?"

The storyteller leaned in, looking around the dining area suspiciously.

"Bears don't breathe fire." the man whispered dramatically. "All the stone around the area was scorched, and all the grass and plants were all burnt up. There was definitely a dragon living at Eagle's Peak."

Iruka glanced at Kakashi in alarm.

"That's where we've been heading." he said.

"We have to leave as soon as possible."


	12. Chapter 12

When Kakashi entered his and Iruka's room, he frowned in concern. After they had heard the rumour and had finished with dinner, they had gone back upstairs to plan the rest of their journey and prepare for the next day; and when it started to get late, they had decided to go to bed. But upon returning from the bathroom, Kakashi noticed that Iruka hadn't moved at all since he'd left. He'd taken his boots off; but he was still seated on the lounge, and hadn't done anything else to get ready for bed; and Kakashi was worried that if he left him by himself while he went to sleep, Iruka would never get into bed, and would end up having a sleepless night, which wouldn't do him any good.

Full of concern, Kakashi approached him hesitantly, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You should really try and get some sleep while we've got the chance."

"Yeah…" Iruka agreed.

Kakashi studied him with tired eyes, watching as he still made no effort to move, seemingly lost in his thoughts about what happened to the dragon they were going to meet; and he confirmed that if he didn't do anything, Iruka would definitely be up all night - something that he wanted to prevent while they had another long journey ahead of them.

"Come on." Kakashi said softly, taking Iruka's hand and gently guiding him off the lounge.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Iruka asked in surprise, suddenly more alert as he let himself be pulled closer to Kakashi.

"You've got too much weight on your shoulders… I think we should take some of it off."

"W-What do you mean?" Iruka asked in confusion, feeling his cheeks grow hot as Kakashi let go of his hand to touch his waist instead.

"Your armour…" Kakashi murmured, his heart fluttering away as he felt along the sides of Iruka's chest plate, "doesn't need to be on right now."

Kakashi found the buckles pressing Iruka's armour against his body; and he opened them, one by one, until he could remove the entire thing. He then untied the leather cord that was holding Iruka's gauntlets together, and loosened the crisscrossed parts until they could easily be slipped off his forearms; and when all of the armour was removed, he placed it neatly on the lounge, and looked back at Iruka, studying him for a moment, and began to pat away some of the creases in his crimson tunic that had been made.

"How do you feel?"

"Lighter." Iruka blushed, feeling almost like a child again. "I could have done that myself, you know…"

"I know." Kakashi smiled kindly as he reached for Iruka's hair, and carefully pulled his hair tie away. "But it's the only thing I could think to do to help you wind down."

"W-Well, thank you."

Iruka's heart gently fluttered, as Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair dutifully, like he had done it a thousand times before; and Iruka briefly wondered if that was something he did to his brother to comfort him. Whether that was the case or not, Iruka felt strangely soothed by the motion, which Kakashi seemed to notice. Suddenly, he stopped, his cheeks slightly flushed; and he rested his hand on his shoulder.

"Now, if you're feeling more relaxed, why don't we try and get some sleep?" he suggested. "That's the best thing we can do right now."

"Okay. Y-Yeah."

Iruka shuffled over to the bed, feeling a lot more tired than he had been before Kakashi had taken care of him; and once the lantern was put out and he had gotten comfortable, he fell asleep almost instantly, leaving Kakashi to his thoughts as he soaked in the peacefulness of the evening. And as time slowly ticked by, he too, was soon lulled to sleep.

During the night, an icy breeze drifted through the window, sending a cold chill through the room; and Iruka rolled over towards the edge of the bed, tugging the blanket in his sleep, pulling it even closer to himself to counter the cold. He grew warmer and more comfortable with the scrunched up layer bundled against him; and he snuggled into it, falling into an even deeper sleep. But as his sleep grew better, Kakashi's grew worse; and he soon woke up shivering - the blanket had completely disappeared from his body.

He turned over to Iruka's side of the bed, wondering what happened to it; and saw that he was snuggled up in the entire duvet, and didn't seem like he was going to share any time soon. Kakashi couldn't even find the edge to try and pull some of it back over to himself, so the only thing he could do to keep warm was to grab his cloak and use that as a blanket; but he was too tired to move.

Suddenly, Iruka shifted, and slowly opened his eyes, squinting as sleep tried to pull his lids down again; and he sat up and turned to face him.

"'Kashi?" he mumbled sleepily, parts of his messy bedhead slowly falling from the top of his head back down his shoulders.

"Mn?"

Iruka looked at him, then the pile of blankets on himself, with a blank but calculating stare, as though he was trying to assess the situation and could see a connection, but wasn't quite sure what it was yet; and a moment later, a knowing expression flashed across his face.

"Oh…" he said to himself. "That's why you feel so cold..."

Kakashi cocked his head to the side as he studied Iruka, a little confused. How did Iruka know he felt cold, when they hadn't even been touching? Could he sense him somehow? And how strong was this sense for it to wake him up in the middle of the night?

Iruka shifted in bed, unjumbling the blanket; and when it was spreadable again, he threw a side of it over Kakashi, making sure it covered him completely; and Kakashi rolled back over, facing the wall as he got comfortable, ready to fall asleep again. He listened as Iruka lay back down, and felt the bed dip a little as he settled. And then he felt it dip some more, even closer; and suddenly a toasty body was pressing against him, and an arm was hanging over his side, gently resting against his, with the other settled by his head; and Kakashi's heart skipped a beat.

"Stay close so you don't catch a cold..." Iruka murmured near his ear as he drifted back to sleep, his breath gently caressing him.

Kakashi felt his face grow hot as butterflies stirred in his chest. How was he supposed to fall back to sleep now, with Iruka holding him like this; like they were lovers?

It had been a while since he has shared a bed with anyone at all - if he was remembering right, the last time was when he and Tenzou were kids and Tenzou was getting nightmares; so having Iruka pressed against him was making his mind race. But as he let himself feel the sensations of being held, and of Iruka's warmth taking his shivers away, he began to relax again, somehow feeling safer and more secure.

As he settled and grew more comfortable, Kakashi stared at the shadows lazily, waiting for his eyes to grow heavy and send him off to sleep again; and in his peripheral vision, he noticed a faint, pale glow on the bed, like the moonlight was reflecting off something. He followed the light, curious to see what the moon had beamed on; and his eyes widened in surprise when he discovered that the glow wasn't coming from moonlight, but Iruka's skin.

Kakashi knew a dragon tattoo when he saw one; but he had never seen anything like the one on Iruka's forearm, which was partially hidden beneath his tunic sleeve. From what he could see, it looked like a constellation of some kind, and was the same colour as the moon; and each individual star seemed to twinkle along his skin like they did when looking up at the night sky.

Kakashi was curious, because dragon tattoos generally represented the type of power that an individual would have, and what element they possessed; but he couldn't guess anything about Iruka's except maybe it was cosmic, whatever that may mean. He also found it strange that Iruka's tattoo was glowing, as a glowing light meant that the power was being used; but Iruka wasn't awake to use it, so why was it activated?

Whatever the reason, it didn't seem to be causing any harm; so Kakashi closed his eyes and relaxed further into him as he drifted off back to sleep. 

It was impossible to stay awake any longer when he was with Iruka like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a mod of the Kakairu Rocks forum. It's a community for all kakairu lovers aged 13+, and there is all sorts of things to see & do, from perusing member fanworks and other recs, joining in with our weekly headcanon discussions, and participating in fun, exciting events! Please [come and check us out](https://kakairu.rocks/)! We'd love to see you there!


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